New York State Education Department The New York State Seal of Biliteracy Handbook THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234 Office of P-12 Lissette Colón-Collins, Assistant Commissioner Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages 55 Hanson Place, Room 594 89 Washington Avenue, Room 528EB Brooklyn, New York 11217 Albany, New York 12234 Tel: (718) 722-2445 / Fax: (718) 722-2459 (518)474-8775/ Fax: (518)474-7948 THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Regents of the University BETTY A. ROSA, Chancellor, B.A., M.S. in Ed., M.S. in Ed., M.Ed., Ed.D. ................. Bronx T. ANDREW BROWN, Vice Chancellor, B.A., J.D. ........................................................... Rochester JAMES R. TALLON, JR., B.A., M.A. .................................................................................. Binghamton ROGER TILLES, B.A., J.D. ................................................................................................. Great Neck LESTER W. YOUNG, JR., B.S., M.S., Ed.D. ...................................................................... Beechhurst CHRISTINE D. CEA, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. ............................................................................ Staten Island WADE S. NORWOOD, B.A. .............................................................................................. Rochester KATHLEEN M. CASHIN, B.S., M.S., Ed.D. ..................................................................... Brooklyn JAMES E. COTTRELL, B.S., M.D. ...................................................................................... New York JOSEPHINE VICTORIA FINN, B.A., J.D. ............................................................................. Monticello JUDITH CHIN, M.S. in Ed. .............................................................................................. Little Neck BEVERLY L. OUDERKIRK, B.S. in Ed., M.S. in Ed. .......................................................... Morristown CATHERINE COLLINS, R.N., N.P., B.S., M.S. in Ed., Ed.D. ........................................... Buffalo JUDITH JOHNSON, B.A., M.A., C.A.S. ............................................................................. New Hempstead NAN EILEEN MEAD, B.A. ................................................................................................ Manhattan ELIZABETH S. HAKANSON, A.S., M.S., C.A.S. ............................................................... Syracuse LUIS O. REYES, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. ................................................................................... New York Commissioner of Education and President of the University MARY ELLEN ELIA Executive Deputy Commissioner ELIZABETH R. BERLIN Senior Deputy Commissioner for Education Policy JHONE EBERT Deputy Commissioner of Instructional Support Senior ANGELICA INFANTE-GREEN The New York State Education Department wishes to thank the NYS Board of Regents, the NYS Seal of Biliteracy Workgroup, and many others who helped with the development of New York State Seal of Biliteracy. Special thanks to the New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers (NYSAFLT); the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL); NYS Regional Bilingual Education Resource Networks (RBERN); the NYS Seal of Biliteracy Pilot schools and districts; Velázquez Press; the Foreign Language Association of Chairpersons and Supervisors (FLACS); New York State Association for Bilingual Education (NYSABE); the College Board and many others. The State Education Department does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, religion, creed, disability, marital status, veteran status, national origin, race, gender, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or sexual orientation in its educational programs, services and activities. Portions of this publication can be made available in a variety of formats, including braille, large print or audio tape, upon request. Inquiries concerning this policy of nondiscrimination should be directed to the Department’s Office for Diversity and Access, Room 530, Education Building, Albany, NY 12234. Table of Contents (Click on title to follow link) Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1 Questions and Answers ..................................................................................................... 2 General Information ....................................................................................................... 2 The New York State Seal of Biliteracy Process ................................................................ 3 Establishing a District New York State Seal of Biliteracy Committee ........................... 3 Community Outreach .................................................................................................. 4 Student Application Process ........................................................................................ 4 Advisement ................................................................................................................. 5 Proficiency Level and Criteria ...................................................................................... 5 Language Assessments ................................................................................................ 5 Essays, Projects, and Portfolios ................................................................................... 6 Evaluation ................................................................................................................... 8 End-of-Year Activities ..................................................................................................... 9 Ordering the Seal Digital Image and Reporting Data ................................................... 9 Celebrating Accomplishments ................................................................................... 10 Resources: Website Links ............................................................................................. 11 Criteria for Earning the New York State Seal of Biliteracy .................................................12 Checkpoint C World Language Assessments .....................................................................13 Forms ................................................................................................................................14 District Notification Form ............................................................................................. 14 Seal Image Request Form ............................................................................................. 16 End of Year Data Form (must be included with the Seal Image Request Form) ............ 17 Press Release from the New York State Education Department .......................................18 New York State Board of Regents Consent Item ...............................................................19 Glossary of Terms .............................................................................................................39 Introduction [Back to Table] In recognition of the importance of bilingualism, many states, including New York, are beginning to award a seal of biliteracy in formal recognition of students who have studied and attained a high proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. “The intent of a seal of biliteracy is to: encourage the study of languages; identify high school graduates with language and biliteracy skills for employers; provide universities with additional information about applicants seeking admission; prepare students with twenty-first century skills; recognize the value of foreign and native language instruction in schools; and affirm the value of diversity in a multilingual society.” (Slentz, 2012) The New York State Seal of Biliteracy (NYSSB), passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Cuomo on July 31, 2012, was established to recognize high school graduates who have attained a "high level of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in one or more languages, in addition to English." Chapter 271 of the Laws of 2012 (Section 815 of Education Law) established the NYSSB. The NYSSB will be awarded by the Commissioner to students who meet criteria established by the Board of Regents and who attend schools in districts that voluntarily agree to participate in the program. The NYSSB will be affixed to the high school diploma and transcript of graduating pupils attaining the NYSSB criteria and must be made available to students at no cost. In January 2014, the NYS Board of Regents approved the implementation of a NYSSB pilot program. This pilot program afforded self-selected districts the opportunity to develop innovative ways of measuring and creating an approved path to the attainment of the NYSSB. The pilot gave districts and schools the opportunity to inform policy development statewide and share best practices. Six districts and 20 public schools volunteered to participate in the pilot program. As a result of the yearlong pilot program, it was recommended that students have the flexibility to demonstrate proficiency in English and another language using a variety of methods, including nationally recognized assessments, coursework, projects, essays, portfolios, and prior coursework completed in a foreign country outside of the U.S. Furthermore, based on the recommendation of the educators in the pilot, world language proficiency was set at the Intermediate High